Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Taylor

Wedded Bliss

The Story

My cousin Isaac and I grew up together in our home school group. We enjoyed working together, going on field trips, having our moms as teachers and ending the school day at noon. I later went to public school but Isaac and I went to Auburn Career Center together my Junior year. I slowly learned of his love antics. All the ladies loved him because of his blue eyes and kind heart. They were also jealous of his super long eye lashes. I have never not know this crazy, loving, kind and gentle kid.

Katie and I met way later down the road. When she and Isaac first met they were in high school. I didn't know much about Katie when she starting hangout with everyone, but I did know that she had a kind and caring heart.

Isaac and Katie waited a bit to date. They had their ups and downs, like most couples do and throughout the years I got closer and closer to Katie and am so lucky to call her one of my best friends. She is not only kind, but she is thoughtful. When I was going through a difficult time Katie called me to come over. I showed up and walked in the kitchen to find a bottle of wine, a chocolate bar and a card with my name on it. It was the sweetest card I had ever received. She is always telling me that I am worth it, I will find who God has set aside for me and that I always have a friend in her. She has the biggest heart and it is full of sincerity, compassion and kindness. My cup is full with her by my side.

THANKFULLY, Isaac finally wised up and popped the question. Naturally, she said YES! Let the planning begin

Katie took wedding planning with such ease and grace because no matter what she was marrying her best friend. She laid her burdens on the Lord and knew that there was no reason to worry about something out of your control. 

"Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you"

-I Peter 5:7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

-Philippians 4:6

It is useless to worry about tomorrow, God has already taken care of it. The Lord blessed them with each other, an abundance of family and friends to celebrate and a gorgeous fall day.

....and to all my single readers, remember God has prepared someone just for you. To challenge you and accept you. To love you, honor you and respect you. To give you happiness, love, kindness and devotion. To be cherished and never taken for granted. 

Fashion Fun

My Cousin Bethany and I. One of my most favorite people in the world!

3 out of 4 brothers. Some of the most dapper men I know

The absolutely stunning bride!

Our dresses were from Davids Bridal and my jewelry is from Aldo Accessories 

The handsome groom

One of my little cousins was a flower girl! Such a sweet, kind, loving and funny child of the Lord

Simple and heartwarming

bridesmaids with the dapper groom

made by Katie and Isaac, Absolutely adorable!

Bridesmaids and the Bride

My STUNNING mother!

The lovebirds table

 Katie made all these jars for the center pieces and her aunt did an amazing job with the gorgeous flowers

 Oh you know, just getting my groove on :)

 The bridal party

The isle way was lined with these, precious.

I have to give a HUGE shout out to J & J Photography for letting me use their stunning pictures! You guys are amazing!

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. I hope life brings you joy, blessings and an abundance of love...and babies. 

Be a Blessing

Miss Goff

Single and Not Waiting

The Story

I am assuming that most of the people who read this know me personally. Therefore you know that all my life I have wanted to get married and have babies, like yesterday. I love kids (hence the teaching career) and have wanted some of my own for a long time. As some of my friends get married and start a family it is hard to not let you biological clock tick louder. I try to tell myself that my life plans are not in my control but some days are harder than others. 

The Problem

Being single used to be very hard for me. I don't like to be alone, never have, but I also don't like being in a relationship that isn't going anywhere. When it comes to dating, I am a "in it for the long haul" type of person. I don't do it for fun. I have recently turned over a new leaf, the single life is working for me!

The Solution

I am making myself better. I am being the best me for me so that when God sends me my husband I am ready. I don't know him yet, but I want to be the best version of myself for him. I want to be successful, energetic, healthy and full of love. I want to be ready when he comes. 

As profound as that sounds, I did not come up with that on my own. A dear friend of mine has really instilled that in me. Since we started coaching together she has really brought to my attention how being alone doesn't mean being lonely. How staying single doesn't mean there's no one out there for me. Lastly, how men don't define my happiness, I do. She recently sent me this article, which is SO worth the read. 

When Did Christ Cease to be Enough?

I am who I am because of Him. 

I am where I am because of Him.

I will be where He wants me to be

Because that is His plan.

Fashion fun!

Vest: j,crew 

Jeggings: Maurie's

Boots: Bass and Co

Scarf: Brina Box

Shirt: Old Navy

Boot Socks: knitted by a former student

A great outfit for a day outside exploring God's beautiful creation! Love Field Trips!

Rocked another scarf from Brina Box with my comfy Agape sweatshirt!

Another comfy outfit! Stole this sweater from Windsor at the end of the season last year. Paired it with a black shirt from White House Black Market, black pants and boots form Bass and Co.

Got a new do! Love! Chunky sweater from Bass and Co and scarf from a former student!

Be a Blessing

Miss Goff

2,000

2,000

The Story

2,000 is a lot of anything, but 2,000 times my blog has been viewed is crazy! I did a little happy dance about that one :) I don't really have a big story, problem or anything exciting today. Just a little check in with my readers. 

Started school off strong this year. It felt really go to be going into my second year and I am still loving every second of it. This week we go on our first field trip of the year!! The kids are thrilled, so am I. 

I am super excited to announce that on October 10th I will be in my cousin and one of best friends wedding! How fun is that?!?! I cannot wait to blog about it all!!! It is going to be beyond beautiful. Look for post! I can't wait to share their love with you all.

Lastly, coaching has been awesome! Our team is really meshing this year and we are lookin' good! 

The Solution

It's times like this in our lives, when everything seems to be going well, that we forget to thank the Lord. So many times we lean on him in the hard times but forget to rejoice and thank him in the happy times.

Psalm 30:4

"Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name."

He is so good to us in times of need, sorrow, joy and love. Let us all return to him the praise he deserves and desires of us.

Fashion Fun!

On Saturday night I went to a clam bake with my best friends family, this is her little sister, Alyssa, and I before. I wore my favorite Buckle Miss Me jeans, Brina Box shirt and necklace with my favorite calf high brown boots from Bass and Co. 

My weekend was made when I ran into my old volleyball coach in the Muni Lot on Sunday! Such a joy seeing her! Here I wore my favorite jeggings from Maurice's, tall boots from Bass and Co and a youth XL jersey, its cheaper :) These are my favorite sunglasses from a shop in town called Soul of the Rose

As always, thanks for reading

Be a Blessing

Miss Goff

"Are you having a girl, boy or a ze?"

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck, ITS A DUCK!

The Story

When someone announces that they are pregnant I get extremely excited. I am not sure if I am particularly excited for that person or the fact that a cuddly, adorable, innocent, tiny human is going to be in my presence. My next question is always, "are you going to find out what you're having?" to which it has been, and always will be a 50/50 shot, boy or girl. Well our world is about to be "flipped, turned upside down" (quoting the Fresh Prince). I may be taking this lightheartedly because I am just in shock and awe over our society and am literally "SMH" while I write this...

Ze, Ve, Ne are just a few of the new pronouns in our vocabulary. Yup. You read that right. The University of Tennessee is encouraging students to use gender neutral pronouns to make all their students feel welcome. If someone came up to me and used one of these pronouns I would be offended. I look like a lady, I act like one. I was born as one. I will always be one. 

The Problem

The problem isn't with the wishy-washy people who think "Wow! How great, acceptance of everyone!" it's with the men and women who think that they are the exception and feel that they are offended by the pronouns "he" and "she". News flash, you're not offended, you're confused. You were born a specific way (yes, even Bruce Jenner), you were raised that way (well, you weren't, "Jazz Jennings"), you will forever be that way. 

Lets talk about the word neutral. It is used in may ways; a car gear, how you feel about something, your stance on an argument. 
One definition of neutral is: having no strongly marked or positive characteristic or features. THERE IS NO GENDER NEUTRAL. THERE IS GENDER. PERIOD. FIGURE IT OUT. 

I am not sitting here saying that people can't change their appearance and do what they want. Is it right, no. Is it worth my time, no. But I am saying I will never use those pronouns. Contrary to what they believe at UT, they don't "sound funny because they are new", they sounds funny because they aren't real. 

Read the story and "SMH" with me. 

Here's something fun:

Here s the chart we are supposed to use. Everyone is gender binary, get it together world. 

The Solution

I searched time and time again and they don't mention anything other then men and women in the bible. I know, I am puzzled too. Crazy. 

I Corinthians 11:8-9 

"For a man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, the woman for man." 

How crazy this may sound, I just read a children's picture book my bestie Tami lent me, about being what you're supposed to be. I Don't Want to be a Frog about a frog who wants to be a cat, rabbit, pig or owl, anything but a frog. But his dad tells him that being a frog is what he was born to be. We are all created in the Lords image, and how we are born is what we are supposed to be. Going against that is going against His plan. 

Fashion Fun!

Here I am wearing my I am Polished dress pants from Maurice's, leopard flats from Ashley's grandma and flowy merlot colored shirt from Brina Box :)

Yay! I love my new reading corner! It's perfect and the kids adore it. I am so infatuated with the classroom book we are reading Wonder by R. J. Palacio. It is about a boy who was born with a facial deformity and his first time attending school. My students love our "Wonder about Wonder" time. After pivotal moments in the story we journal and this is what I received on the first day of journal writing, on the third day of school...

The prompt was "Why do people react to August they way they do?"

My favorite part is "He was born with a problem, that doesn't mean that he is a problem"

Bless her heart!

I enjoyed some sunshine with Grigio. You never know when the last hammock days will be. 

Super comfy outfit! My shirt is from my sister and my pants are from Maurice's

So this girl is a doll baby! She helped me pick out my outfit for Luke Bryan. She is the funniest, sweetest, kindest, hippest gal I know. I love being her Aunt!

Here I am wearing another shirt from my sister (from the Gap) and BKE Shorts. I also wore my brown cowboy boots from the boot corral.

My beginning of the year bulletin board. I am going to try and keep that gold paper and boarder up all year. Lets see how that goes! Here I am wearing one of my most comfortable outfits! I got this wrap dress in Texas last year at a second had store, paid $12! So worth it! My flats are from, yup, you guessed it, Maurice's.

Be a Blessing!

Miss Goff

Fashionably Late?

It's been a while. I know, but life happens. With my nanny job ending, school starting, volleyball in full swing and working in my waitress job, it's pretty crazy. Since I know most of you love the "Fashion Fun" part of my blog, I thought I'd upload what I have been wearing, enjoy :)

I bought this dress for a wedding from Dress Lily and decided to pair it with a cardi, belt and wedges from Maurice's. And coffee, there's always coffee!

I LOVE this dress! The most comfortable Maxi I have every tried on! It was given to me from my aunt. I paired it with a chambray shirt and necklace from Maurice's

This was a chilly morning at school! Even my coffee mug had a sweater! Below you'll see the same outfit, this one has one of my favorite scarves from Bass & Co.

This entire outfit was handed down to me! My favorite leopard flats, PERFECT fit jeggings from Maurice's and over sized sweater from H&M. Perfect for the fall weather that is coming. Thanks to my bestie of all time, Ashley!

Happy first day of school!! I wore a high-low strapless dress from Maurice's, paired with the same chambray shirt form above. The necklace was a gift from my mom, years ago, from Lea Sofia. My favorite accessory, Mrs. Tami Morrison! Check her out on TPT! She's amazing and can literally create everything you need for your classroom. She also happens to be one of my best friends and school day ROCK!

Last, but certainly not least, our first in service day! Again, coffee, sweater belt, shoes and jeggings all from Maurice's (shocking) and my tank is a hand me down from my sister! Paired with the perfect teacher bag, "Keep Calm and Pretend it's on the Lesson Plan"

Here's to you, new school year! May you bring joy, inspiration, love and patience. 

Be a Blessing,

Miss Goff

I am Pro Choice

I am a Christian and I am PRO choice.

(Said no one ever)

The Story

Abortion. Yes I am filling your head about abortion, just like everyone else on the planet. But I am not trying to rant here or just give my opinion, I am here to make you think.Here's the deal, I like my bubble. I enjoy my small town and the small town news. I hate looking beyond my world at how messed up society is about body image, how people think its okay to have gay rights and how gun control is being taken away, that's all over Facebook, hard to miss but recently Ruth, my darling mother, brought to my attention, in a nauseating conversation, about baby parts being sold. To which I replied with a run to the bathroom and my breakfast in the toilet, kidding, but I could have! She watched a video of people going undercover and discussing with Planned Parenthood the selling of fetus parts. I will be honest when I tell you, it is a disturbing thing to watch and listen to. 

The Problem

As you can tell from my blog, I am a Christian. As you can tell from the title of this entry, I am Pro Choice. Contradiction? Hear me out.

Pro Choice, lets break that down.
Pro- a prefix for favoring something
Choice- the right or power to choose for yourself.
YOURSELF, not someone else.
Your baby, has a choice when it's born, to breathe or not to breathe, that's not something you get to decide. You, as holy and upstanding as you think you are, are not God. Sorry to break it to you.

The Solution

Just stop. Stop making it okay for people to have a choice to murder their child. Every child has a purpose, whether they came from a loving home or a product of rape. Each child gets to have a place in this world and that's the way it's supposed to be. People over use the phrase "everything happens for a reason" well guess what, it does. And just because it doesn't fit your timeline doesn't mean killing your baby should be accepted, that, my friend, makes you selfish.

I know I may have many people unfollow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and my blog but this is not something I will ever be quiet about. 

Abortion is questioning Gods plan. He knew you and your children long before this world. Who are you to decide what happens?

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb. I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Your works; and that my soul knows right well."

Psalms 139:13-14

Things to Ponder...

Bald eagles are protected by law, but unborn babies aren't.

Babies body parts are being sold, but a lion is killed and the world goes nuts.

They found bacteria on Mars, proving life exists, but a fetus with a heartbeat isn't a human.

When a pregnant woman is murdered, the killer is tried for two counts of murder, not one. Think about that. 

Fashion Fun

My fashion blog will be a shout out to some great times with some great people, old school. I haven't really been in anything fashionable besides my bathing suit and coaching gear. Soooo enjoy some old school fashion

My sister is the coolest! She got my dad and I into the Ohio sports award ceremony and EDDIE GEORGE was the emcee. Got to snap a quick pic with him! The shirt  I wore was from my awesome sister, paired it with black pants and shoes, both from Maurices. and this ADORABLE ombre necklace from Francesca  

Love this picture of some great girls! Such a fun time. My shirt is from Express, jeans are Miss Me and boots are from my favorite "Buy One Get Two Free" sale at Bass and Co. 

On Friday we went to see Tim McGraw on a bus that held 40 people! I wore a BKE shirt and shorts from the Buckle and paired it with my red cowgirl boots from Texas. 

I will end with this:

"You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you didn't know"

William Willberforce

Be a Blessing!

Miss Goff

Someone who...

Someone Who I Used to know

The Story

I recently lost someone I care very much for. Someone who knew all of my secrets, weaknesses and strengths. Someone who changed me. And even though I lost a friend, someone I loved, I learned something about myself, it's not my plan.

When I was in high school I had a very calculated life plan. At 11 I knew I wanted to be a teacher, at 16 I started working toward that by working with children and organizing VBS at my church. At 18 I went to Auburn to be a teacher. At 20 I declared my major for Middle Childhood Education and at 23 I graduated from college with my degree in MCED, lastly at 24 I accepted my first teaching job and rocked it!

The Problem

But what about the rest of me? What about the rest of my life plan? I was supposed to be married by 23, have my first child at 25, second at 27, third at 29 and last at 31. I was supposed to be young wife and mother. Someone who could keep up with their kids. Someone that had it all. How can I not be successful in love? How am I losing this battle? Why can't I find someone to live out my life with?

The Solution

Sometimes it seems like I failed and sometimes it feels as if it will never happen and then I see things like this:
"For I know the plans I have for you"
Says the Lord
"They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope"
Jeremiah 29:11

So it's not about me and my life plan. It's not about what I want to happen and what I think I need. It's all about what He has planned. About the plan He made for me before I was even thought of. The life He expects me to live. My plans mean nothing. My future is out of my control and my hands. To know that my life is being taken care of, that I am being taken care of, is freeing, and relieving. 

That "someone who I used to know" is someone in my past, the old me. The person that believed that I could change my destiny. The person who didn't think she deserved the world. I can say that even though it still hurts, everything happens for a reason and sometimes it takes losing someone to realize how truly great you are. I know, I know, cliche. 
Get over it :)

Fashion Fun! 

This past weekend some of my great friends and I went to Pittsburgh to see Shania Twain in concert. I have been to many concerts before, but this was the best one yet! I spent it with some awesome people and Shania ROCKED that place!

I wore my friends plaid shirt, my new BKE shorts from the Buckle and my most favorite cowboy boots from the Boot Corral. 

anddddd I had to add the puppy I rescued, Grigio, because on most days, he rescues me. 

Be a Blessing

Miss Goff